


Rescuing the Damsel

by SnowWhiteKnight



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-17
Updated: 2015-10-18
Packaged: 2018-04-26 09:38:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 10,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4999843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnowWhiteKnight/pseuds/SnowWhiteKnight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Writing Prompt: Heroes travel to a castle to rescue a person who has been kidnapped by a terrible monster.  The castle’s only door is at the very top of a tall tower, and they have to enlist the aid of a harpy to help them get there and fight their way to the basement where the hostage is being kept.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Gatekeeper

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that modern AU I was working on? Yeah, totally stuck. In the meantime, I've been doing one shots and this little fic to help get past the writers block. It's helping, but it's slow going. Anyway, enjoy. :) Just going to be randomly updating. Nearly done with the last few chapters.

Three knights, each wearing differing colored armor, rode towards the lonely castle that stood midway up the mountain, known as the Red Keep. It was technically abandoned, the only tenants were the three harpies who lived in the south-most tower and the dragon who lived in the hollowed out center. The castle was encased in a magical barrier, protecting the castle from harm, and keeping people out, and certain creatures in.

A thick forest surrounded the base of the mountain, with one road leading in or out, guarded by a sentry in a small hut. The knights stopped at the hut and the black armored knight knocked on the door. A tall man answered.

"Yeah? What do you want?"

"Good ser, we seek entrance to the Forbidden Forest," said Blue, the tallest of the three. The man stared at the blue armored knight.

Sighing, he said, "Hold on. Have a seat on that bench. I'll get the gatekeeper."

**********

Half an hour later, Red and Blue sat on the bench, while Black was pacing irritably. The door opened again, this time a short hooded figure emerged. "Good knights, please, enter and be welcomed," the figure said.

The three knights followed the short figure into the hut, and were amazed to find themselves inside a gigantic castle. "Yes, I know," the figure chuckled, pulling back his hood to reveal a blond, curly-haired dwarf with different colored eyes. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Tyrion, the white wizard of Casterly Rock. I guard the Red Keep and the surrounding Forbidden Forest, one of the most dangerous places in the known world. Only those that I allow are able to enter the Forest safely. You have passed the first test already, by waiting patiently." He looked over at Black, "Or at least mostly patiently, and not trying to charge in. Now, who are you and why do you seek to enter?"

The blue knight stepped forward. "I am Blue. We seek to rescue three who were kidnapped by the dragon Viserys. My companions are Red, and Black."

"Appropriate, but not your  _true_ names," the wizard Tyrion noted.

Blue nodded. "We must keep our identities, as well as the identities of the kidnapped, a secret. Even among ourselves, we will not speak their or our names. There are those who would seek the downfall of the kingdom if it became known."

The wizard nodded. "This is true. The dark wizard who calls himself The Mockingbird is one, and several others come to mind as well. And you believe the dragon to be dwelling in the Forbidden Forest?"

Blue shook his head. "No, in the Red Keep. Our castle magician, in his viewing mirror, saw the dragon fly through the magical barrier and into that castle."

"I see. The Red Keep is even more dangerous than the Forbidden Forest. I can give you a spelled item that will allow you entrance to its barriers, but I cannot protect you from its dangers," Tyrion warned.

Blue nodded. "We understand the dangers, Wizard Tyrion. We must rescue them at all costs."

"Why is that?" he asked. "Rest assured, your answer will not leave this room."

Blue looked to Red and Black, who nodded their approval. "They are our true loves. We would go to the ends of the earth and back for them," Blue said quietly.

Tyrion smiled. "True love is the most powerful magic of all, and is worth defending. I grant you access to the Forbidden Forests. It will take me some time to get you the item that allows you to cross the barrier on the Red Keep, so please, stay here for a while, eat and rest. Bronn and Pod will stable your horses. I will have the item for you in the morning."

"We don't _have_ the time," Black snarled, taking a threatening step forward.

"Then you must _make_ the time. Patience is a virtue," Tyrion said. "I must create the spelled item, and it will take twelve hours to do so, no less. You will not be able to cross the barrier without it."

Black growled again, but Red placed his gauntlet on Black's shoulder. "Calm, Black. Calm. Better to take slow and steady steps, than to rush and mess it all up. Your love would say the same."

"Fine. But as soon as it is done, we are leaving. I refuse to waste another minute dawdling."

"Noted. Wizard, we accept your help and hospitality. Is there anything we can offer you in return?" Red asked.

"I will let you know. For now, Podrick and Bronn will show you to rooms where you can rest."

**********

Early the next morning, the three knights rose from slumber and made their way to the front entrance. The little wizard was absent, but the guard known as Bronn and the servant boy known as Podrick were waiting for them.

"Mornin'," Bronn said. "Master Tyrion isn't quite done yet. There is some breakfast ready for you. You will find that the Master Tyrion will be done by the time you return."

"Thank you, Ser Bronn. We appreciate your hospitality and help," Red said, bowing low.

Bronn smiled at that. "Oh, I like you. Pod, did you hear? Called me ser! Call me that from now on."

"Yes, Ser Bronn. This way, milords," Pod said, bowing and showing the knights the door. They followed him out. 

When they returned, the wizard Tyrion was standing with Bronn. "Oh, good. I was worried Pod had taken you to the Forest on his own. Now, Pod, blush all you want, you know I'm joking." The boy was indeed turning several shades of red. Servants brought in their horses. "Now, your steeds are here. They have been loaded up with supplies, enough to get you to the castle and back. This," he held up an orb that was a little large for his hand, "is the enchanted object that will get you through the barrier surrounding the Red Keep. This is very important, you _must_ be touching it when you cross the barrier. You will need to leave your horses on this side of the barrier, but I will send Pod with you. He has enough training in both physical and magical defense to watch over them. If you will please, follow me."

"Are we not going to the path outside, wizard Tyrion?" Blue asked.

"Oh, that's a false path."

"What?!" Black exclaimed.

"Yes, anyone who tries to take that path is condemned to the dungeons two castles over. The guards there know not to let them out for a few weeks once they appear. The _true_ path is inside the Rock. Come along. I'll show you." Tyrion led them down a long hallway.

"A few things you need to know about the Red Keep. The only entrance is at the top of the highest tower, and the only way to get to it is for the harpies to give you a lift. And the leader of the harpies is very hard to please. You _must_ appease her sense of superiority. The other three harpies will follow her, though the elder male will still be defiant. There is also the dark wizard to contend with. He's not always in the area, but I believe him to be, at this time. The dragon doesn't leave the castle often. I'm honestly surprised that he kidnapped your maidens. Viserys tends to hoard gold, not people. Let's see, what else is there? Avoid the ponds. Any pond. Very few of them have good magical properties, so it's just not worth it. Stick to the streams if you need to drink water or bathe, though you should be back in two days time, if all goes well. Don't eat any red fruit. It's poisonous." They stopped in front of a plain double door. "Here we go, once you step through this door, you will be in the Forbidden Forest. Keep the purple flowers on your left. They will guide you to the Red Keep. When you return, keep them on the left again. Don't ask me why, that's just how it works." He paused to pull something out of his cloak. "These four bracelets...give them to the harpies, but _not_ until after they have gotten you out of the castle again. This is what you can do for me in return." Blue took the bracelets and added it to his possessions.

"Good luck," Tyrion called out, as the doors closed behind the knights and Pod.

"Do you think they can do it?" asked Bronn. 

"I think they have the best chance," Tyrion replied. He turned and began to walk back down the long hallway. "Come, let us watch their journey in the viewer."


	2. The Forbidden Forest

The three knights rode in silence, with Pod trailing behind them. The purple flowers were kept to the left, which was more difficult than it sounded. Every so often, they would find the flowers were on their right, and have to turn around.

"Buggering hell! I can't take this silence!" Black snarled. "How much longer to the barrier??"

"Patience, Black. Wizard Tyrion said it would take a few hours. We've only been at this for two." Red kept his sight forward. "Remember what your love would say."

Black growled, but said in a low voice, "Haste makes waste."

"Exactly." Blue pulled the reins to guide his horse closer to the other two. The three black horses were identical, save for their bridles, each baring the color of their knights. Red's horse snorted in annoyance, not liking to be so flanked on either side by the other two. "Do you think we can trust this Podrick fellow?" Blue asked in a low voice.

"I think we can," Red said. "I trust wizard Tyrion."

"You're far _too_ trusting," spat out Black. "He could be leading us to our doom for all we know."

"Black, Red, _please_. We're not going to get very far if we argue like this. Look, young Podrick hasn't done anything to give us reason to not trust him. For the time being, we'll trust him, but keep an eye on him. Agreed?" The other two nodded. "Ok. Oh, look, there's something up ahead."

"Milords," Podrick called out, "this is the hall of angels."

They stopped at the edge of a wide pathway that lead away from a clearing with a fountain in the middle, lined on both sides with stone statues.  "Why is called the hall of angels? None of these statues look like one."

"Because they were all good people, who lost their way," Pod replied.

"What do you mean, they _were_ good people?" Blue asked, astonished. "These were once people, like us?"

Pod nodded sadly. "Flesh and blood, same as you and me. They sought entry to the Forest, but lost their way and drank from the fountain. That fountain is fed by the nearby Pond of Stone. It takes a few minutes to take effect, but they start wandering down the pathway and eventually change to solid stone. Depends on how much you drink, but even one drop will do it."

"Lost their way? But they are on the path!" exclaimed Black.

Pod shook his head. "There's more than one way through the Forest. It depends on your destination. Most people are looking for treasure, rare creatures, even rarer plants. Master Tyrion allows them to come through. If they are pure of heart, they won't get lost."

"And what of these people?" demanded Blue. "They are just stuck here? Forever?"

Pod shook his head again. "No, milord. The master comes by and transports them to safety, and then breaks their curse. He leaves the newer ones as warning to future travelers, but it's not very effective, if you ask me. He keeps hoping that people will be better, but they never are."

"You're very jaded about this," noted Red.

Pod shrugged. "I just see it a lot, that's all. We must continue forward. The barrier shouldn't be too far away now."

**********

The barrier shimmered in the sunlight, nearly opaque this close up and glowing with an iridescent sheen. "So what happens if you try to cross the barrier without this doo-dad?" asked Black.

"It simply won't let you pass. I believe it gives a slight electric shock as well. Nothing that can do damage, just enough to serve as a warning," Pod answered. "I'll keep your horses safe. Don't you worry about them." He patted one on the neck and narrowly missed getting bitten by another.

"Watch out for that one," Red said. "He's a mean whoreson, only listens to two people in this entire realm."

"I'll keep that in mind." Pod looked dubiously at the destrier.

"Ok, Red, Black, hands out. I'll hold it up, all you need to do is keep touching the sides." The other two nodded in agreement. "Ok, on my count, step one, two, three."

The barrier washed over them as they stepped through it, a cold tingle deep down to their bones. Red shuddered after they stepped through.

"Now what? There's no more purple flowers to follow on this side," Black said. There were no plants at all, save for a lone tree that was mostly dead.

"We can see the castle from here, Black. Flip up your visor," Blue said with a hint of annoyance. A clank of metal, and two bright, grey eyes blinked at the world.

"So it seems then. Let's get on with it then." Black flipped the visor back down and headed towards the castle.


	3. The Desert

They had only been walking a few minutes when a voice behind them said, "And what do we have here?"

Swords drawn, they spun around to find a short man of slender build, with sharp features, gray-green eyes, a small pointed beard on his chin, and threads of grey running throughout his dark hair. He wore robes of a deep, dark burgundy color,  and held a staff of pure gold with a garnet orb at the top. A small grey and white embroidered  bird was on the sleeve of his opposite arm.

All three knights recognized it immediately as a mockingbird.

"And who are you to be trespassing on my property?" he asked sweetly.

"I understood that this land belonged to the dragon Viserys," Red said, "and no man or woman would ever lay claim to it or face his wrath."

The Mockingbird had an expression that could only be described as a pout, but that didn't seem to be the right word for a man with as dark a reputation as him. "Yes, well, that doesn't explain why you are here. Or how you got through the barrier. Very few humans can do that."

Blue spoke up. "We are three knights on a noble quest, sent to rescue--"

"The Princess Myrcella," Red interrupted. They all stared at him. "My apologies, Blue, for interrupting you, but you never say her name correctly. It's improper to mispronounce the name of a princess."

"That's alright." Blue turned back to the Mockingbird, who was eyeing them warily. "And you are?"

"Call me Petyr. You search for the Princess Myrcella, the lost heir of the Fifth Kingdom? She disappeared over five years ago. Many have tried to find her. None have come back alive." He spoke gently, but his eyes told a different story.

"What's it to you then?" Black ask defiantly. "Unless you believe we will succeed and are here to stop us?"

"On the contrary, I'm here to help you. The wizard Tyrion sent me. I'm to guide you to the harpies. Are you the non-knight known as the Hound? I thought you'd be taller. You're the shortest of the three of you."

Black growled, "I am known as Black. And I'm still taller than you."

The Mockingbird huffed at that. "Come along. The harpies should be doing their daily scavenging soon. Wouldn't want to miss them." He walked past them, smelling heavily of mint and lies. 

"Should we trust him?" Black asked with a doubtful tone.

"No, but he  _is_ a dark wizard. Let's play along for now," Red said. "Keep conversation to a minimum as well." Blue nodded in agreement, and the three knights followed the man cautiously.

**********

Half an hour later, they reached a field of wheat that spread as far as the eye could see. "This is where the harpies scavenge?" Black asked, scoffing at the notion.

The dark wizard ignore his tone. "Animals are scarce inside the barrier. The ones that flourish tend to be the smaller ones. In this case, mice. This field is abundant with mice and the harpies will be here any minute now."

As if on cue, three huge shadows were cast, swirling around the ground, circling the little group. The largest of the four harpies landed first, but was soon flanked by the other three, a small male, a smaller female, and the smallest, another male. Their golden feathers had a dull sheen, though the smallest two shone a bit brighter than the others. The leader looked down her nose at them, especially Blue. "Who are you to venture into our territory? Even the dragon leaves us be."

Blue stepped forward, "Oh great and noble leader of the golden winged raptors, we seek the Princess Myrcella, who is said to be trapped inside the Red Keep, cursed for eternity. Will you grant us a boon and fly us up to the entrance? We will give you each a precious token of our appreciation, if we are able to make it back safely. What may we call you, most beautiful of all the creatures?"

The two smallest harpies exchanged a look, but said nothing. The leader gave them a once over, fluffing her feathers at their praise of her. "You may call me Cersei. I am quite beautiful, aren't I? What sort of precious token would you give to me?" 

"A bracelet of the finest gold, crafted by the greatest goldsmith in our kingdom, and enchanted to give the wearer knowledge of the ages," replied Blue.

The harpy smiled coyly, "Naturally, only the best. I accept your token and your request. And the other bracelets?"

"Also fine craftsmanship, beautiful to behold, but not enchanted. Only you will received the most precious treasure," Blue said.

Cersei seemed pleased by this, though the other three remained indifferent. "We will fly you all to the entrance."

"Petyr," Red gestured to the Mockingbird, "is not joining us. I'm sure he has much more important things to do than babysit three capable knights."

"I don't mind help--"

"No, no, we cannot be a bother to you any longer," Red insisted. "Please, do not make us feel guilty for burdening you with our quest. You are a great man and have great things to do." 

The Mockingbird puffed up at the red knight's words, much like Cersei had just done. "Well, I do have some tasks to take care of. Very important ones. I have my own princess to rescue, right after I see her father about securing her hand in marriage." In a puff of smoke, the dark wizard was gone.


	4. The Red Keep

Cersei guided as the other three harpies carried the three knights. The taller of the two males complained the entire time, and the knights were happy to see that one fly off. Cersei spoke, "When you are ready to leave, return to this platform. We will come and get you. And then I will have that token." A flap of her great wings and she was gone. The two smaller harpies remained.

"Is there something you need?" asked Blue politely. The female stepped forward.

"Are you really going to rescue the Princess?" she asked.

Blue nodded. "If we can. We are certainly going to try."

"You're going to fail," she said. "Not because you are unable to, but because she is not in the Red Keep."

"Where is she then?" asked Blue.

"We cannot say. Only the wizard Tyrion can free her, and he cannot cross the barrier, or he too will be cursed," said the small male. "We should go, sister." The female nodded and the two were off, flying high into the sky.

"Ready, you two?" Blue asked, watching the winged creatures.

"Been ready since we got the note," Black said flippantly.

Red shook his head, but said, "I am also ready. Our princesses must be upset that we have not rescued them."

"Tch, yours is probably pissed the whole situation happened," Black scoffed. "Mine is patient. Blue's...well, Blue's princess is probably annoying the hell out of anyone around." The other two nodded in agreement. 

"Let's get going then. Keep your swords drawn," said Blue, walking towards the open doorway. "Red, you have the locket?"

"Yes," he said, pulling out the silver locket and whispering words into it, "Guide me to my love, show me the way."

"Looks like Varys really does know how to wield magic," Black said as the locket glowed and a flowing stream of glowing light snaked out of it and created a path for them to follow."

"You thought him to be all pomp and no muscle? He did use magic to help us at the beginning of our journey," said Red, holding the locket aloft as they followed the trail. Black marked the passageways with chalk as they went along.

"He does do more talking than magic in court," Blue pointed out, holding the lamp they had found and lit. 

"I've seen him do some powerful magic," Red said quietly. 

"You have been around him the longest," Black noted, "So what kind of magic have you seen him do? The most powerful?"

"I've seen him talk to the dead, and the dead responded." A sudden chill whipped through the corridor, the very walls began to frost over.

"Here comes the first one. Ready?" Blue yelled over the howling wind that accompanied the sudden drop in temperature. "Black, you're up first!"

Black stepped forward, his Valeryian steel sword held at the ready. The white walker stood little chance of success, and soon burned as the sword cut through its brittle body. "I'll take the next one, too," offered Black as they continued on. "I have some rage to release."

 


	5. In The Third Kingdom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, posted 6 instead of 5 earlier. I'm tired.

"Petyr!" exclaimed Queen Catelyn, embracing her old friend. "Whatever are you doing here?"

The Mockingbird grinned. "You look as lovely as ever, Cat. I have come to seek an audience with the King, your husband. It concerns your daughters." The queen paled and lead him to the throne room.

"He was just about to start listening to petitions. You came at a good time," whispered the queen.

King Eddard, known affectionately as Ned to his family, was seated on the stone throne, various furs thrown over it to provide a more cushioned and warm seat. The Third Kingdom was the northern most of the nine realms, and allowances were made to combat the cold.

"My love," the queen said, bowing before her husband, "You remember Petyr, don't you? He wishes a private audience with you."

"Granted," Ned said. "Everyone, leave us. Even you, Varys." A rotund, bald man in silk lined robes bowed deeply before departing with the queen and the rest. When the final person left and the doors were shut tight, the king said, "Come forth, Petyr. What is your petition?"

"Your majesty, I have heard some most distressing news. Your daughters, the princesses, have been kidnapped."

Ned moved uncomfortably in his seat. "The queen and I are aware. A rescue team has been dispatched."

"Are you also aware that I am a wizard of very high standing? I can rescue them before your team even gets to the place they are being held." Petyr puffed out his chest. 

Ned smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. He was aware of Petyr's abilities, but also that he never did anything for nothing. "If you could accomplish this feat, what would you ask in return?"

Petyr played with the chain wound around his waist, as if considering it. Ned was not fooled. He knew that Petyr wouldn't have come if he did not already have something in mind.

"I request...your daughter's hand in marriage, Princess Sansa," Petyr said coolly.

Ned's jaw clenched, but he made no other reaction. "Forgive me, Petyr, but Sansa is already betrothed to the greatest warrior in our kingdom, possibly the greatest of all nine kingdoms, Sandor Clegane. He is one of the rescue team." 

"Yes, the Hound. I've met him before. He is not as impressive as his reputation would suggest, and a man with a temper like that is surely not a suitable husband for your sweet, gentle daughter. He is a better match for your second daughter, Princess Arya." Petyr smiled his too sweet smile.

"Arya is also betrothed, to the third son of our neighbor, King Robert of the Fifth Kingdom. He is also on the rescue team," Ned replied. Petyr did not stop smiling.

"The boy is bastard born, not worthy of a princess. He was living as a smith's apprentice until only a few years ago," Petyr pointed out. 

"I am aware of that as well, Petyr." Ned knew the entire truth of the bastard born prince, but was not about to share it with the likes of the dark wizard. He could only think of one way to get rid of the man. "I'll tell you what,  _if_ you are able to rescue my daughters and my ward, Princess Brienne of Tarth before Sandor, Prince Gendry and Prince Jaime, and  _if_ Sansa is willing to marry you, then I will approve the match. However, if Sansa is not willing, I will not force her."

Petyr bowed low, "I accept these conditions, your majesty. I do not foresee a problem. The Hound is a rough, violent fellow. Your poor daughter will welcome my suit with open arms. I will excuse myself. Have a good day, Ned." A puff of smoke and he was gone.

Ned sighed heavily. "I can't wait to see that." He imagined his future son-in-law would have a thing or two to say about the situation. He despised the Mockingbird, but the queen only saw good in him. He put up with Petyr for her sake and her sake alone. "Varys," Ned called out.

The bald man stepped out from behind the throne. "Yes, my liege?"

"Did you get all that?"

He giggled, "How could I not? That was quite an impressive display of idiocy on the Mockingbird's part. Does he really know nothing of the princess's regard for her betrothed?"

"He sees what he wants to see. Do you think he is responsible for the kidnapping?" the king asked.

"Possibly, but if so, then it would be indirectly. If his end goal is to win the princess, he would do as little as possible to be involved in the incident, lest it come back to bite him in his bottom."

The king sighed, "That is what I believe, too. Keep an eye on him, as best you can."

"Of course, my liege."

"How are the princesses and their betrothed doing? You are keeping an eye on them as well?"

"Yes, they are all doing splendidly. If something should come up, I will let you know immediately."


	6. The Dragon

The three knights were exhausted. They had battled five more white walkers, seventeen snarks, a gigantic lion, crossed over a lake ("Who puts a buggering lake inside a buggering castle?!") that contained a kraken, fought three irate bears, swung over a pit of snakes, snuck past the fire stags, somehow managed to walk through a room full of poisonous thorny rose bushes, until finally, they stood on at the top of a staircase on the edge of a great hall. The outside of the Red Keep was not particularly large, but it was able to hold a hall that was four times the size of it. 

"Magic?" asked Black, marking the stairwell with chalk and eyeing the mountains of treasure that filled the cavernous space. Blue shook his head.

"No, more likely, the builders of the Red Keep dug into the mountain and made it part of the castle. Look, there's not a single window to be seen. I would bet there's even a secret back entrance, on the other side of the mountain from where the Red Keep sits. But, our current problem, how do we get across this place? And what direction do we go in? I can see at least five more staircases from here, and I'm sure there's more!"

"Trust the locket, Blue," Red said, holding it up. The light bouncing off the gold and gems was making it hard to see the faint glow. "It looks like straight across."

Black spoke, "I don't suppose..."

"No. This belongs to the dragon. If even half the stories about him are true, we do not want to incur more of his wrath by also taking his gold," Blue admonished.

"Fine! I'm just saying, even a few pocketfuls of this could help." Black stomped out onto the treasure, but had to reconsider when he sunk down to his ankle. "Ok, so, tread carefully."

"Where do you think Viserys is?" Red asked, concentrating on the light flowing out of the locket.

"Hopefully, gaining more treasure, and not here." Blue looked around. The only sounds to be heard were the ones they were making. "If he is, just let me do the talking. If it comes down to fighting, Red, since you need to maintain the magic link, hang back as much as possible, Black and I will take care of that."

They were halfway across the cavern when they heard the clinking of treasure moving, movement of treasure that was not caused by them. They froze. A high pitched whine reverberated off the stone walls, "Who-oooo has woken the dragon?" Behind them, a sickly yellowish-white tail rose up from beneath the treasure, followed by an emaciated body, then a neck and finally a head. Fortunately, the dragon was facing the other way. As the treasure shifted, they moved with it, working their way behind a large pillar that easily concealed them. The dragon had limp purple spines down its back, that ended in a purple flared fin on his tail. He stood three times taller than even Blue. "Daenerys!" he bellowed. "DAENERYS!"

A much smaller dragon, also white, but with a golden sheen and purple spikes that stood proudly, ran into the great hall from the opposite direction. "Yes, brother? What is it?"

"Something woke me. I think we have intruders." He plucked a giant crystal egg, encrusted with emeralds, from beneath his belly. He studied it for a moment, then tossed it over his shoulder. It shattered when it hit the pillar. "Useless piece of fool's gold," he muttered. 

"Brother, I can search for the intruders if you wish, but--" The larger dragon whipped his tail around and smacked the smaller dragon in the head.

"No excuses. Just go. I'm going to go back to sleep." He started digging himself back under the treasure. "Do not wake me."

The smaller dragon held her claw to her swelling cheek. "Yes, brother, I will not wake you." When Viserys was fully covered again, Daenerys sighed and walked off, sniffling as she went. The three knights did not move until she had left the great hall.


	7. Below the Great Hall

"Did you hear anything about a second dragon?" Red asked when they were out of the Great Hall. Blue shook his head. "They looked nearly identical, except for their size and the state of their health. The female seemed much more robust than the male. Or is that how dragons normally are?"

"We can ask Wizard Tyrion about it when we see him again. Let us move quickly. The princesses should be up ahead," Blue said, picking up his pace. The flowing glow of magic led them around a corner and smack dab into a teenage girl, knocking her over.

"Oh, beg pardon," Blue said. "I didn't see you there." He held his hand out, offering to help the girl up.

"It's alright, I'm more sturdy than I look," the girl said, accepting the hand. "But you're not supposed to be here. No one is." She had platinum blonde hair that reached down nearly to her ankles and beautiful purple eyes, set off wonderfully by her tan skin. She was dressed in simple peasant's garb, with numerous patches on it. "My brother would do nasty things to you if he found you. I can return you to the entrance before you're discovered though."

"Brother?" asked Red, looking at the girl carefully. "Are you the dragon Daenerys?"

The girl nodded. "Pleased to meet you. You can call me Dany."

"But...how?!" Black exclaimed. "You were nearly as tall as Blue, not half an hour ago. Oh, that one is Blue, this one is Red, and I'm Black."

She giggled. "Magic. Dragons can shift into a human form. More or less," she said, pointing to her hair. "Our coloring tends to be a bit off from the human standards. You should have seen my skin when I first transformed, it was so pale! But I've been outside a lot, so naturally, I darkened up. Viserys would hate it if he knew, but he's so obsessed with his gold, he never notices when I'm gone, or asks me to be in human form. So, shall I take you back to the entrance?"

"Um, we appreciate the offer, but we came here for a reason, Dany," said Blue. The girl looked disappointed.

"Is it for the Gem of Mance?" she asked.

"No," said Blue.

"Oh," she looked surprised. "Then for the Tears of the Snow?"

"No, wouldn't that just be water?" asked Red.

"It's not just any old water. Then, did you come for the Sword of the Morning?"

"No, was wondering what happened to it though," said Black.

"Then, why did you come?" she asked, completely bewildered.

"We came to rescue our princesses. Your brother kidnapped them a few days ago. Left a note saying he needed the princesses, and to not try to rescue them, which was a bit ridiculous to ask, and he didn't even ask politely!" said Red.

"Princesses? You mean the three humans that were brought in a few days ago? Didn't seem like princesses to me. Viserys locked them in the basement. I can show you the way, and I have the key on me." She started walking in the same direction as the flow of glowing magic.

"You would help us?" asked Blue.

"Yes, your princesses seem nice enough, but I can't keep taking care of them. I don't even know why Viserys brought them here. He has no use for them. I think he got a fool idea stuck in his head after listening to too many of the wizard's stories. Watch your head here."

"Wizard? Which wizard?" asked Red.

"Um, I think he said his name is Petyr. I don't like being around him, so whenever he visits my brother, I go visit the Dothraki. One of the khals is very handsome, and he is very nice too me." She blushed as she spoke. "I think he wants to ask for my hand. Viserys wouldn't like that, but he's so far gone with sickness, I'm not sure he would notice if I left and never came back." She stopped in front of a large wooden door. "Here we go. This is the main prison area. Your princesses are in separate cells, but they have been well cared for and are unharmed. I must point out though," she said as she unlocked the door, "my brother is a bit eccentric, and dress in a particular way. Not like it really matters down here, since it's so dark, but it's better to follow orders." The door swung open with a push.

"Who goes there?" asked a voice.

Blue stepped forward. "Princesses, we have come to rescue you."

"Princesses? What are you--"

Red rushed forward to the cell. "Hush, my love. Speak not of, well, any of this. Dark magic is at work, and we must keep our secrets close to our hearts, and what are you wearing?"

"Pink. What's it look like? Matching cloak, too."

Red stifled a laugh as Dany unlocked the cell door. "Very well," he said, "for the time being, you shall be known as Pink."

Blue looked at his love. "And you, shall be Green. You look lovely in that color, by the way."

"Thank you, it does bring out my eyes, doesn't it?" asked Green.

Black was staring, his shoulders shaking ever so slightly from laughter. Red sighed and looked over at Black's love. "And you, shall be Grey. Come, princesses, don your cloaks and we shall be off. Dany, if you would be so kind as to lead us back to the entrance, we would be most grateful."

"Are the color names really necessary?" complained Green. Blue smacked her lightly.

"Yes. As Red said, there is dark magic at play. The less we admit, even to each other, the better. Once we are back at the castle and out of danger, _then_ we can have a good laugh over all of this nonsense." Blue turned to Dany, "If you would be so kind..."

"Oh! But we are already here. Did you want to take the long way? I really dislike walking over the kraken's lake," Dany said. She gestured to the doorway. The six humans looked confused.

"How did you do that?" asked Grey.

Dany held up her hands and wiggled her fingers, "Magic! Now, off you go. My brother won't even miss you three. Fairly certain he forgot you were even here."

Blue bowed low. "Thank you, Dragon Daenerys. We owe you a great debt. If you should run away with your Khal, please know that you are welcome in the Third Kingdom whenever the Khalasar travels through it. I will leave your name with the guards of the castle Winterfell, if you ever wish to visit us."

"I may just take you up on that," Dany said warmly. "Safe travels, my friends."


	8. Back in the Desert

"So... we can't say our names, or anyone else's name, and we have to keep these damn cloaks on to hide our identities?" asked Pink incredulously as they stood on the platform, waiting for the harpies to return.

Red nodded, "Yes, and keep your shawls around your faces. I am so sorry, my love. Please, bear with it. At least, you won't have to put up with it as long as we have."

"Seems reasonable, when you put it that way," said Grey. "I'm ok with it, for now."

"Look, something's coming," Green said, pointing towards the sky.

"Keep your hood down and your shawl up!" hissed Blue.

The four harpies landed in front of them. Cersei spoke first, "Are you ready to go then? It's been a day since we last saw you. Thought you might have gotten eaten by something."

"Princesses, this is Cersei. She is the magnanimous and most beautiful leader of the harpies. Thank you for inquiring, oh great Cersei. The journey through the castle was long and arduous, and yes, we were almost eaten a few times, but thankfully, we survived. Once we are all on the ground, I will give you the bracelet," Blue said.

Cersei sighed. "Very well, we'll take the new ones down first. The one clad in pink will require two of us to carry her."

The taller male squinted at the princesses. "Are you sure about these three? They look too ugly to be royalty." Pink made a move forward but was stopped by Red.

"Joffrey, you have a point, but let's just get this over with," Cersei said irritably. The two of them each took a hold of Pink. Soon the three princesses were on the ground and the harpies returned for the knights, except for Joffrey who remained on the ground, poking at the princesses.

Red and Black were carried down by the two younger harpies, leaving Blue with Cersei. "Give me my bracelet," she demanded.

Blue took a step back, "When I am on the ground, I will hand it over."

Cersei took a step forward, expanding her wings as her face distorted into a horrible sneer. "No. Now. I want it,  _right now."_  

Blue shook his head. "No. We had an agreement. Surely, one such as beautiful as you, as elegant, as wonderful, as glorious as you, also has the patience to match. Look, here it is." Blue held up the bracelet. "I will give it to you the moment my feet touch the earth." Cersei continued to advance on the knight. "If not, I will crush it. I will destroy this beautiful piece of jewelry, that was obviously meant to be worn on your person alone, and then you will never have the honor of wearing it, of being envied by all the other creatures."

Cersei stopped and considered the knight. Spreading her wings out more, she took to the sky, flying high above and then swooping down and capturing the knight by his arms. The landing was a bit rougher than Blue would have liked, but he was in one piece and would not complain about that. "Now, _give it to me,"_ demanded Cersei. Blue handed over the bracelet, as well as the three for the other harpies. _  
_

They each put them on, admiring the loveliness, when the bracelets began to glow. A bright light engulfed each of them, and when it faded away, four fair-haired humans stood, each wearing worn matching red and gold outfits. Cersei shrieked. "NO! What have you done?!"

Blue shook his head, as confused as the rest of them, "I, I didn't do anything! I gave you the bracelets as I was told to do."

"Told?!" Cersei snarled. "Told by whom?!" 

"The wizard Tyrion. In exchange for his help, he asked me to give you the bracelets."

"THAT LITTLE GARGOYLE?! YOU STOLE MY WINGS AND TALONS FOR HIM?!" Cersei screamed. "I WILL KILL YOU AND THEN HIM AND THEN--"

"Mother! Leave them be." The young girl spoke defiantly. "If you really want your wings and talons back, go speak to the dragons. I'm sure Viserys can help you."

Cersei's face became soft and kind. "Oh, yes, Dragon Viserys. He is such a kind, giving creature. He will help us. Come, children. Let us go visit him." She began to walk around the castle, Joffrey close at her heels.

"Isn't the only entrance..." Red said questioningly as he pointed to the tower. The girl nodded.

"Mother hasn't been in her right mind for a while now. If you do not mind the company, my brother and I will accompany you back to Wizard Tyrion's place."

"It's not a problem. My name is Red. This is my princess, Pink. Blue and Black are the other two knights, and Green and Grey are the other princesses. And you are?"

"Forgive me, I've been a harpy for so long, I've forgotten my manners. I am Princess Myrcella, of the Fifth Kingdom. This is my younger brother, Prince Tommen. Joffrey is my older brother, and my mother was formerly Queen. We should get going, before she realizes that Tommen and I did not follow her."

**********

The barrier drew closer as at they walked and conversed. "So, let me get this straight: you were cursed, all four of you, into the form of harpies by the dark wizard? And the only one who could free you was Wizard Tyrion, but he couldn't get close enough to you because if he did, he would turn to stone, and then there would be no one to break the curse?" asked Black.

Myrcella nodded. "Yes, Tyrion is my uncle, and the only one with the power to break it, except for true love's kiss, but I don't have a true love. Not yet anyway. Neither did Mother or Joffrey, Tommen's too young, and it's hard to find true love when you're trapped inside a magical barrier and all the visitors run away from you. For the first year, Mother kept saying Uncle Jaime would rescue us, but I really don't see how he could. He is a fine warrior, but he has no magical ability, and he couldn't possibly be Mother's true love." Green snorted at that, but Myrcella either ignored it or didn't hear it.

"Fa--I mean, the man I believed to be my father, King Robert of the Fifth Kingdom, discovered we were not his children, that we had been sired by one of the bastards of Lord Velaryon, Aurane Waters. In a fit of anger, he called upon the dark wizard to curse us. But he immediately regretted it, because even though we were not his, he did have affection for myself and Tommen. Joffrey...is a bit difficult to be fond of, except for Mother. The dark wizard hid us away, assuring King Robert that the curse would eventually be broken, but not telling him the details. Uncle Tyrion found out and started working on it, but...the dark wizard is crafty. He designed the curse to be broken under very specific conditions, or else Tyrion's underlings could have just broken it for him. Joffrey, Tommen and I adjusted fairly quickly, but Mother...it broke her, but at the same time, she came to depend on the power it gave her."

They reached the barrier just then. Blue pulled the orb back out. "How are we going to do this? We barely made it with three people last time."

The eight of them thought for a while. "What if," said Grey, "what if one person holds the orb up, half inside the barrier, half out, and then one by one, we place our hand on the orb, walk through the barrier until even the tips of our fingers touching the orb are outside?"

"That sounds good. Unless anyone has a better idea?" asked Blue. No one did. "That settles that. I'll hold it."

One by one, they walked through the barrier this way, with Blue bringing up the rear. 


	9. Casterly Rock

The journey through the Forbidden Forest went much quicker this time around, despite the fact that only Myrcella and Tommen were riding the horses. Maybe it was because the group was much more lively, or maybe the Forest took pity on them and gave them a shorter path. Either way, Podrick was showing them the doorway back to Casterly Rock much sooner than expected.

Tyrion greeted his niece and nephew warmly. "Where are Cersei and Joffrey?" he asked.

"Mother...she is not well. You would have more trouble with her than it is worth. Joffrey is with her. It is better that way," was all Myrcella would say on the subject. The two children were taken to rooms by Bronn while Tyrion saw to the rest of the guests.

"These are our princesses," Blue said. "Like us, they are to be called by the color they wear. Pink, Grey and Green." Tyrion stared at Green, who gave him a little wave. "Is everything alright, Wizard Tyrion?"

"Oh, yes, yes, everything is fine. Come, I will show you to your rooms. Tomorrow morning, you will have fresh supplies ready to go, but I fear there is a situation developing. I was pleased to discover that my old friend Varys is your kingdom's court magician. We have been in contact since after you left here, and we have been keeping each other informed. It would be better for you to get home sooner rather than later, so I have already begun preparing a portal to send you straight back to your kingdom. I have never been there before, so the best I can do is drop you off right outside the capital's gates. It will take me the rest of the night to finish preparing the portal, so please eat some dinner, rest up, and in the morning, you'll be raring to go."

"Thank you, Wizard Tyrion. How can we ever thank you?" asked Blue.

"You have given me back two out of three of the most cherished members in my family. I am the one that is in your debt." He smiled at them and led them to the dining hall.


	10. Winterfell Castle of the Third Kingdom

The portal opened a mile outside of the castle's outer walls. It glowed with a golden red light as the group of six walked through it with the three horses. They could still see Tyrion on the other side. "I'll come visit soon. And you are always welcome to visit me as well. I haven't had such delightful guests in years!" he called to them before closing the portal.

They began the short trek to the castle gates, when a wind kicked up, surrounding them and knocking the breath out of them. When it subsided, Red, Blue and Black were alone with their horses.

**********

"Your majesty!" the Mockingbird cried out in the throne room. "I deliver to you Princess Sansa, Princess Arya, and Princess Brienne."

Pink, Green and Grey were huddled on the floor, trying to regain their breath.

"So you were able to rescue them," King Eddard said with slight disappointment. The Mockingbird ignored that part and gave him a broad smile.

"Will you fulfill your promise and give me your daughter's hand?"

King Eddard refrained from rolling his eyes, while the Queen set her mouth into a hard line. She had not been pleased when she heard of Petyr's request. "Wizard Petyr, I believe I said that you not only had to rescue them, but you also had to get Sansa to agree to the match. If she does not approve of it, neither will I," the king reminded him. "So please, confer with her. Which one is she, by the way? Those cloaks are most unusual in their design. Even I cannot tell which is Sansa." Whether the Mockingbird could hear the sarcasm in the king's voice remained a mystery.

"My king, of course, the pink clad one cannot be Sansa, she is too large. She must be Brienne. The grey clad one is too short, so that one must be Arya. By process of elimination, and of course I could tell without that part, Sansa is the one clad in green, and I must say that it is a most becoming color on her."

He walked over to Green and offered her a hand up. She rose from her position on the floor. "My dear, will you accept me as your new betrothed? I vow to protect you from the Hound when you break your engagement to him," the Mockingbird said sweetly. "I will love you and cherish you like he never would."

Green pulled back her hood and removed her shawl. "Sorry, don't think you're my type," said Jaime Lannister with a grin. "I hear my sister is looking for a new man. She might just be touched enough in the head to accept you."

"Wh-what? How... Where is my princess?!" demanded the Mockingbird, his face turning purple with rage.

"I think you mean _my_ princess," Pink said, pulling off the cloak to reveal a scarred man. "And I don't appreciate being kidnapped, not just once but _twice,_ " growled Sandor.

The king looked at the grey clad figure, "So you must be Prince Gendry then?"

"Guess that one was fairly obvious," Gendry said as he pulled off his cloak as well. "Process of elimination being what it is, after all."

"I don't understand," the queen said. "How are you here?"

The doors opened to admit a guard, then three, then seven more, all defending against an unknown assailant, hidden in the center of the moving hoard of guards.

"Enough!" yelled the King, rising from the throne. "What is the meaning of all this commotion?"

The guards scattered, holding their swords defensively as they backed away from Blue, Red and Black. "Who are you to intrude on these proceedings?" demanded the king.

Red pulled off his helm. "Father. It is me," Sansa exclaimed.

"And me, Father," Arya said, pulling off her black helm.

"And I, your majesty," Brienne said, pulling off her blue helm. "We have returned."

"And I am Wizard Tyrion!" he exclaimed, stepping from behind the women. "You don't know me, but _he_ does!" Tyrion waved his hand at the Mockingbird, freezing him in place. He had been about to disappear into another puff of smoke, his hand now stuck in the air above his head.

The queen felt faint. "Will someone _please_ explain what is going on? Why were the men hidden in cloaks and believed to be the princesses, and _why_ are the princesses dressed in armor and believed to be their men?! This is extremely improper!"

"Oh, calm down, Mother," Arya said. "If it could have been done differently, we would have done it."

"Done _what_ differently," demanded the queen. "I understood that you three were kidnapped by a dragon, and that your betrothed left to rescue you. A note was left! From both the kidnapper and the rescue team!"

Sansa stepped forward nervously, "Mother, we discovered the dragon's note. We took it to Varys and Father. You were taking a stroll with your handmaidens in the gardens at the time, I believe."

"Varys concluded that the dragon did not do this on his own, he would have needed to be convinced. He didn't even know that the people he kidnapped weren't us, that he took _men_ instead of women," Brienne said.

"But as to who it was, who could possibly have stood to gain from the situation, we could not determine that from the knowledge we had at that time. So, we wrote a note, speaking the truth, but signed it with Sandor, Gendry and Jaime's names," said Arya.

"Why was my name last?" Jaime complained.

"Because I was angry that you managed to get yourself kidnapped," Brienne said wryly. "Why do you think? It just happened that way. Stop complaining."

"After that," Sansa continued, "Varys tracked the dragon, gave us tools to help us once we got to the castle. We discarded our identities. Varys gave us amulets that protected us from anyone figuring out who we really were."

"Which unintentionally gave me a hint as to what was going on," chimed in Tyrion. "I'd recognize his magical signature anywhere, even when it's hidden."

"Only because you taught me how to do it," Varys said. He had been  "Good to see you, old friend."

"Good to see you, too," Tyrion smiled.

"Go find your chambers, you two. What happened after that, Sansa?" Sandor asked, putting his arm around her shoulders.

"Oh, well, after we got past the barrier, this man showed up, claiming Tyrion sent him, but that was impossible, since Tyrion had warned us about him, that he was one of the people who would possibly take advantage of the situation. He _did_ help us, but I believe he only did it to try and keep tabs on us. We gave him a false story, but he either didn't believe us, or was just being overly cautious. I managed to convince him to abandon us by playing to his vanity. He left after saying he needed to arrange his betrothal." She smiled up at Sandor. "I did well?"

"Yes, little bird, very well," he kissed the top of her head. "What happened after that?"

"We entered the castle with the help of the harpies, four people who had been cursed by the dark wizard. They're free now, Mockingbird. You won't have them for leverage anymore," Arya said. "Once inside, we battled our way through the castle, and narrowly avoided meeting the dragon Viserys. We _did_ meet another dragon, Daenerys, his little sister. She helped us, and told us that the Mockingbird was a frequent visitor to her brother and would often fill his head with stories and wild ideas. She believed that Viserys acted on one of these ideas when he kidnapped the men."

"Why did he take all three of you though?" asked Brienne. "It would make more sense to just kidnap Sansa alone."

"He didn't know what Sansa looked like," Gendry said. "And he didn't seem right in the head. Just picked us up, called us 'Princess' and took off with us. If he had met a servant alone, he probably would have done the same thing."

"So, it would seem that you orchestrated this whole thing, Petyr," the king said calmly. "All to marry Sansa, and eventually gain this kingdom. I had suspected as much, but I didn't have any proof. You always hated the fact that Cat married me instead of you."

The queen looked at her childhood friend in horror. "Petyr, is this true?"

"We were destined to be together, Cat! We could have ruled this kingdom, ruled _all_ of the kingdoms, and you went and married this oaf of a man who can't even produce fire without a flint!" Petyr hissed. "If I couldn't have you, I would have Sansa, and I would have _his_ kingdom! I had to act, before it was too late."

"And what of me? My feelings? My brothers?" Sansa asked bitterly. "They are the ones who inherit, not me. Not unless..." Her eyes went wide. "You would have gotten rid of them!" The Mockingbird said nothing.

"I have heard enough." The king rose and walked towards the dark wizard. "Wizard Tyrion, will you be requiring punishment towards the wizard known as Petyr and the Mockingbird?"

"He'll have to be submitted for an inquisition in front of the high council, but I believe there is enough evidence for him to be punished to the fullest extent of the law. He would be stripped of his powers and forced into exile, if found guilty." Tyrion looked thoughtful. "Did you want to try him by the laws of your kingdom?"

"I hereby invoke the treaty between the kingdoms of men and the council of magic, and request that if he is found not guilty by your council, he is brought before me so that he can be tried on the charges of high treason and the kidnapping of three persons of high value to the crown," King Eddard said.

"I will make sure that is done, your majesty. If you will excuse me, I have a prisoner to deliver and then family to visit with. Jaime, will you still be here when I return? Myrcella and Tommen will be eager to see you as well." Tyrion asked.

"Of course, little brother. Wouldn't miss it for the world. Might miss it if Brienne has her way, but who could blame her when she's been absent from my wonderful presence for a sennight?" Brienne smacked the back of his head, but was blushing.

"Duly noted. Varys, would you care to join me? Your experience in interrogation would be most useful."

"Sounds like fun. By your leave, your majesty?" Varys bowed low.

"Granted. You've earned a vacation. Just keep an eye on things," the king said, waving his hand in dismissal.

"Of course, don't I always?" Varys said before disappearing into a portal with Tyrion and the Mockingbird.


	11. Epilogue

"Are you afraid, little bird?" he asked quietly.

She looked up at him with defiant eyes. "No. Not of this. Never, if I'm with you."

"What about you, Arya?" asked Gendry.

"I'm more terrified of your morning breath, Bull. It's quite terrible," she japed. He laughed at that.

"I'm sure you're calm as hummingbird on a sugar high," Jaime said to Brienne, who rolled her eyes.

"That would be you, Jaime," she replied. "By the way, don't think I didn't see you gobble all those cakes. They're supposed to be for the guests."

"It's time," Sansa said, "Shall we?"

The doors opened, the event that had been postponed due to the unforeseen kidnapping by a dragon (and the subsequent rescue of the fair "damsels") began as the three couples walked into the sept to be married.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked this little story. I was trying for a bit of mystery and intrigue as well as fairy tale-style, but ya'll figured out my game pretty quickly! :)


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